Keeping Pests Out Of The Garden

[manarak]

let's assume the garden is walled, there are no outside trees hanging over the walls and the walls are clean.

the only access is the gate for the car.

Which techniques are successful for keeping snakes and centipedes out of the garden?

[jackr]

One of these

[jackr]

Or failing that, one of these

[craigt3365]

I would call in Rimmer. He seems to have had plenty of experience lately dealing with cobra's! Our next door neighbor got a 1.5 meter long cobra a few days ago. The other side got one 2 weeks ago. They both have dogs that warned them. Guess my turn is next!

[H2oDunc]

Basically you can't. Just learn to live with them. Snakes keep down the rats anyway. What would you rather have. rats or snakes ? I had a 2metre king cobra living under my house and she had babies. I have found that if you leave them alone they will leave you alone. After all you are not their food source.

[manarak]

so you're saying that snakes will find a way to enter a walled property (for argument's sake suppose the wall has no cracks or openings)

I have babies too.

Basically you can't. Just learn to live with them. Snakes keep down the rats anyway. What would you rather have. rats or snakes ? I had a 2metre king cobra living under my house and she had babies. I have found that if you leave them alone they will leave you alone. After all you are not their food source.

[wpcoe]

Somewhere on thaivisa.com I had read someone's theory of how to snake-proof your yard. It was something like a chain link fence two meters high, with angled barbed wire at the top of the fence (angled away from the house) at a certain angle and with the barbed wires a certain distance apart. The theory was that the snakes that could grip a chain link fence for two vertical meters, couldn't maintain their grip on barbed wire at a backward angle. The chain link fence, along with the barbed wires, also had a finer mesh attached on the inside to prevent snakes from going through the fence/wires.

Oh, and there was certain specs for a gate, as well, but right now those details escape me.

My apologies to whoever posted the details originally. Apparently they had researched the physics of snake movements in great detail. I tried a forum search and couldn't find the post.

[manarak]

I used google to find this post, and if such post existed on TV, it doesn't anymore. Maybe in the archive?

Somewhere on thaivisa.com I had read someone's theory of how to snake-proof your yard. It was something like a chain link fence two meters high, with angled barbed wire at the top of the fence (angled away from the house) at a certain angle and with the barbed wires a certain distance apart. The theory was that the snakes that could grip a chain link fence for two vertical meters, couldn't maintain their grip on barbed wire at a backward angle. The chain link fence, along with the barbed wires, also had a finer mesh attached on the inside to prevent snakes from going through the fence/wires.

Oh, and there was certain specs for a gate, as well, but right now those details escape me.

My apologies to whoever posted the details originally. Apparently they had researched the physics of snake movements in great detail. I tried a forum search and couldn't find the post.

[choppertony]

One of these

Excellent , I could use one of those when I visit the wifes family For those dam_n MOZZIES .

[rgs2001uk]

One of these

Excellent , I could use one of those when I visit the wifes family For those dam_n MOZZIES .

Excellent, the wife says she could use one of those when her family come to visit, more annoying than mozzies, hopefully this will keep them away.

[wpcoe]

I used google to find this post, and if such post existed on TV, it doesn't anymore. Maybe in the archive?

Somewhere on thaivisa.com I had read someone's theory of how to snake-proof your yard.

Hmmm. You're right, I can't find it either. ISTR that it wasn't the Real Estate forum, but the General forum. I guess it's possible the information was on another site linked from a post on thaivisa.com.

Here are some sites with information close to what I recall, but not quite. These sites seem to be for North America where snakes are not so big, and not able to crawl as high, hence they recommend 30" to 36". I know pythons (and king cobras?) can scale the entire height of house walls, so I think the snake-proof fence for Thailand was higher. Or, maybe the 30-degree angle is enough to deter large climbing snakes as well? <shrug>

http://www.twpinc.com/twpinc/control/categ...CAT_PESTS\

http://www.cahabasnaketrapsales.com/id111.html

http://www.ag.purdue.edu/entm/wildlifehotl...ges/snakes.aspx

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/livingwith_wild.../deterring.html

Of course, there are always electric fences....:

[elkangorito]

The below article talks about Australian snakes but most of the advice given will apply to any snakes of similar sizes.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR PROPERTY SNAKE UN-FRIENDLY.

Increasingly property owners around Australia are realizing the value of our bio-diversity. They are aware of problems with salinity, the demise of some of our frogs, and the need for suitable habitats for all our wildlife.

Around the cities most people attempt to make improvements for local birds, mammals and frogs. Unfortunately, some of the most common reptiles inhabit virtually all capital cities of Australia.

SNAKES IN SUBURBIA.

Australia has about 863 species of reptiles including 188 species of snakes (Cogger 2000). Only 14% of these snakes are regarded as potentially dangerous to humans (White et al 1998). Some species of venomous snakes have adapted positively to changes in the natural environment and are now common in many of the suburban areas of south eastern Australia. The Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis) has been most successful in this regard. Overgrown gardens, unkempt public reserves, junky industrial areas or just properties which need a "post-winter" clean up (with their attendant rodents) are all home to Brown Snakes.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF.

Snakes are normally secretive and timid animals. Brown Snakes are able to hide in the most unlikely places including under wood, tin, old lino, concrete slabs, plastic, and roof tiles on the ground; within piles of bricks, pipes, fire wood and stones; inside sheds, shops and houses; in the cavities of walls; in aviaries; and even in swimming pools (personal observation).

Many gardeners, who go to the trouble of making their property more livable for themselves and our native wildlife, don't realize how readily they have also made their gardens acceptable to snakes. The following specific comments may help you understand the potential problems.

ROCKERIES, RETAINING WALLS, DRY STONE WALLS.

Unless the components of your rock feature are imbedded into the soil and all gaps between the rocks or blocks packed tightly with soil, there will be numerous cracks, crevices and holes for snakes to hide in or to follow their prey (lizards, frogs or mice). You do not always have to remove the rocks, as quarry rubble or dolomite can be spread amongst and through the rocks or blocks. Then water and tamp it down hard so the areas between can no longer be used by snakes and to a lesser extent mice. Brown Snakes do not generally dig their own holes, unless the soil is very sandy. They much prefer to utilise existing tunnels made by other animals, or crevices made through the action of water or cracking clays etc. "Pockets" can be provided so that you can still plant trailing plants or rockery species without having a bare, stone feature (as long as you are aware of the following points also).

PLANTING AROUND THE GARDEN.

Many of the calls which snake catchers throughout Australia receive, involve snakes that are seen in or close to thick vegetation somewhere in the garden. The problem here is more likely dense groundcovers or plants growing close to the ground which provide excellent protection for snakes. Recent studies (Whitaker and Shine, 1999) have shown that Brown Snakes when hiding in thick cover do not move when approached by a human. That can be to your advantage as the snake is unlikely to respond to your presence, and will move away when the "threat" (you) to it has passed. However, young inquisitive children and pets that actually probe innocently into the plants may evoke a different response. Whitaker and Shine found that less than 3% of Brown Snakes (from 455 encounters) approached ("attacked") the researchers during their study.

The solution to an overgrown garden is not necessarily ripping the lot out. Shrubs can have their lower branches pruned to allow you to readily see beneath them and provide less suitable cover for snakes. But a thick blanket of ivy around an older garden may be difficult to justify removing. A compromise may be to thin the groundcover so that you can at least see if a snake is moving through it. By reducing the level of cover you are also denying protection for roaming snakes.

COMPOST HEAPS, BINS.

When we adopt a recycling attitude that includes disposal on site of our kitchen and garden wastes, we are providing two essentials for Brown Snakes in particular: shelter and food for the snake's prey, as well as protection for the snake from its enemies. In addition, there is the chance that the warmth and humidity of a compost heap may be suitable for a female Brown Snake to lay her eggs (between 12 and 40 depending on the size of the snake). The placing of the compost can create problems too, as there may be little traffic in that part of the garden, which is ideal for a wandering snake. An enclosed, tumbling compost bin is the best answer to this problem. Turning over the compost regularly is another. To prevent rodents and snakes moving up into a bottomless compost bin, place it on a square of 10mm steel mesh (but you will have to renew it periodically as it rusts). The mesh allows movement of air, water and soil organisms but not undesirables.

MOVEMENT INTO SHEDS, GARAGES, OTHER BUILDINGS.

Interpretation of snake callout data in Adelaide in the mid 1990s indicated that about 11% of snakes seen were inside buildings, including houses, sheds, factories, schools, shops or offices. Generally the altercations with humans did not result in damage to either side, but the situation is obviously potentially dangerous. The simple answer is to stop access by adult snakes under closed exterior doors (including screen doors). This can be done inexpensively by fitting a rubber weather seal to the bottom of the door(s) of all buildings that may be affected. Be aware that a sizeable (up to 1.2m) Brown Snake is able to squeeze under a gap or into a hole not much bigger than your thumb.

If you have exterior wall vents at ground level on your buildings, you can also prevent entry by small snakes (and bees, wasps, mice etc) by fixing a piece of metal flywire over each vent. Keep any planting around the house rather spartan, or at least not adjacent to the walls. Black (Pseudechis spp) and Tiger Snakes (Notechis spp) can climb quite well - and so can Brown Snakes when they have to - especially with the help of thick vegetation over trellises near buildings.

OTHER COMMENTS.

Snakes will not normally live under houses, if there is a substantial gap between the floorboards and the soil. Unless, of course, you have stored your junk, building rubble, heaps of wood, unwanted furniture, toys or tools underneath. The answer here is obvious, but necessary.

Forget the "infallible" solutions for keeping snakes away from your house environs or to trap them. Most do not work. A wine flagon on its side containing a drop of red; a bowl of milk laced with ratsack; a layer of diesel spread as a barrier on the ground; or collecting/encouraging Blue Tongued and Shingleback Lizards on your property to discourage snakes are all fallacies.

Trapping snakes does sometimes work, but there are ethical considerations about even a venomous snake caught out in the hot sun. And there are the public health issues if a child or pet comes into contact with such a trapped snake.

Snakes are given some form of legal protection throughout Australia. If you are unsure of the status of snakes where you live, contact your state or territory fauna agency (check your local telephone directory or the internet) for advice.

Snakes shed their skin approximately every eight weeks, depending on how much food they have.

Some snakes can travel faster in a short distance than a human can.

A snake has a forked tongue where legless lizards have a single broad, fleshy tongue.

Snakes are not cold and slimy, they are smooth and silky to feel and they receive their heat from the elements.

If you are thinking of going swimming in the outback, remember ALL snakes can swim exceptionally well.

LIZARDS DON'T KEEP SNAKES AWAY, they are a food source to snakes.

From http://www.heyne.com.au/gardencentre/facts....php/Snakes.htm

There are electronic snake repelling devices - do a google search for SNAKESTOPPER ELECTRONIC SOLAR POWERED SNAKE REPELLER.

There is another product called ShooSnake.